1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for automotive vehicles, and more particularly to an integrated, modular HVAC system for automotive vehicles.
2. Disclosure Information
FIG. 1 shows a typical HVAC system, steering column support assembly, and cross-car beam as presently used in most automotive vehicles. Those familiar with such currently known systems will realize that these systems involve a multiplicity of individual (and sometimes redundant) parts that must be assembled together, which makes such approaches expensive, difficult to assemble, and so forth.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a single system for an automotive vehicle which provides the functions served by the individual HVAC, steering column support, and cross-car beam systems while simplifying and improving upon the prior art designs.